Nottingham

Nottingham's population increased by about 38,700 between the last two censuses. This semi-automated article highlights some of the key changes among the local population.

The population reached nearly 310,000

In the decade to 2011, the population of Nottingham increased by 14.5%, from almost 267,000 to 306,000.

The addition of just under 39,000 people means this area's population increased faster than the rate of growth across England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Nottingham was home to, on average, 29 people per football pitch-sized piece of land. This made it the East Midlands' second-most densely-populated unitary authority.

Population density was higher than the average across the East Midlands

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across the East Midlands, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

A younger Nottingham

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Nottingham decreased by two years, from 32 to 30 years.

This area had the lowest average age in the East Midlands and remained younger than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The fall in age was because of an increase of just under 18,000 people between the ages of 20 and 29 years, while the population between 70 and 79 years decreased by almost 2,000.

About 23.0% of people in Nottingham are aged between 20 and 29 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, East Midlands and Nottingham by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

More people worked short hours

Nottingham saw England's third-largest rise in the proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week.

Every local authority area across the East Midlands saw a rise in the proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week, as the regional average grew from 1.8% to 3.0%.

In 2011, just over 1 in 25 (4.3%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Nottingham said they had worked less than 16 hours the previous week, compared with 2.4% in 2001. The percentage that worked over 49 hours in a week decreased from 10.0% to 7.0%.

England's largest increase in the proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week occurred in Newham (from 2.3% to 5.9%) followed by Newcastle upon Tyne (from 2.1% to 4.3%).

The proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week in Nottingham increased by 2 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Nottingham, the East Midlands and England that said they had worked less than 16 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

Disability in Nottingham

The percentage of Nottingham residents whose day-to-day activities are limited a lot by a long-term health problem or disability increased from 3.5% to 3.8% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

In 2011, just under 1 in 20 (5.0%) reported being limited a little in their day-to-day activities, compared with 5.5% in 2001. The percentage of Nottingham residents whose day-to-day activities are not limited by a long-term health problem or disability remained close to 91.2%.

The proportion of people who are considerably limited by a long-term health problem or disability decreased faster here than in any other local authority district across the East Midlands. The improvement brought health in Nottingham close to the regional average 4.0% in the East Midlands described their health as good in 2011).

The proportion of people who are limited a lot by a long-term health problem or disability was lower than across the East Midlands

Percentage of usual residents that reported being considerably limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in the East Midlands and the average across England, March 2011

More single people in Nottingham

Nottingham saw the East Midlands' second-largest rise in the proportion of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership.

In 2011, just over one in two (51.3%) people aged 16 and over in Nottingham said they were single, compared with 44.3% in 2001. The percentage that said they were married decreased from 36.4% to 31.9%.

Across the region, only Lincoln saw a greater rise in the proportion of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership (from 34.4% to 44.0%).

Every local authority area across the East Midlands saw a rise in the proportion of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership, as the regional average grew from 27.8% to 32.5%.

The proportion of people who had never married or entered a civil partnership was higher than across the East Midlands

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that said they were single across local authority areas in the East Midlands and the average across England, March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of Nottingham residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 11.0% to 6.5% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just under 8 in 10 (79.9%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 65.0% in 2001. The percentage of Nottingham residents that described their health as fair decreased from 24.0% to 13.6%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the East Midlands (from 9.4% in 2001 to 5.7% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 9.1% to 5.5%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Nottingham decreased by 4.6 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Nottingham, the East Midlands and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

More students

Nottingham saw the East Midlands' second-largest rise in the proportion of students.

In 2011, just over 1 in 16 (6.3%) people aged 16 to 74 in Nottingham said they were in education, compared with 4.0% in 2001. The percentage that were employed decreased from 44.1% to 43.0%.

Across the region, only Lincoln saw a greater rise in the proportion of students (from 3.7% to 7.0%).

Every local authority area across the East Midlands saw a rise in the proportion of students, as the regional average grew from 2.5% to 3.4%.

The percentage of students in Nottingham increased by 2.3 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 in Nottingham, the East Midlands and England that said they were in education, March 2001 and March 2011

Changing household dynamics

Nottingham saw the East Midlands' second-largest fall in the proportion of one-person households.

In 2011, just over one in three (36.2%) households in Nottingham had only one person, compared with 37.5% in 2001. The percentage of households comprising an unmarried couple increased from 8.7% to 10.5%.

Across the region, only Leicester saw a greater fall in the proportion of one-person households (from 32.6% to 30.0%).

The percentage of households with only one person was higher than across the East Midlands

Percentage of households that comprised only one person across local authority areas in the East Midlands and the average across England, March 2011

Change in unpaid care provision

The percentage of Nottingham residents that provided at least 50 hours of weekly unpaid care increased from 2.3% to 2.4% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

The percentage who reported providing between 20 and 49 hours of unpaid care each week remained close to 1.2%.

The proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the East Midlands (from 2.2% in 2001 to 2.6% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 2.1% to 2.4%.

The proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care in Nottingham remained close to 2.4%

Percentage of usual residents in England, East Midlands and Nottingham by care, March 2001 and March 2011

Rise in private renting

Nottingham saw the East Midlands' third-largest rise in the proportion of privately rented homes.

In 2011, just under one in four (23.1%) households in Nottingham rented privately, compared with 14.0% in 2001. The percentage of socially rented homes decreased from 33.2% to 29.7%.

Across the region, only Leicester (from 12.5% to 22.7%) and Lincoln (from 11.3% to 21.0%) saw a greater increase in the proportion of privately rented homes.

Every local authority area across the East Midlands saw a rise in the proportion of privately rented homes, as the regional average grew from 8.5% to 14.9%.

Private renting in Nottingham increased by 9.1 percentage points

Percentage of households in Nottingham, the East Midlands and England that rented privately, March 2001 and March 2011

Ethnicity in Nottingham

In 2011, 13.1% of Nottingham residents said they were from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups, making it the most common ethnicity in this local authority area. The population from these groups has increased from 7.1% in 2001.

Across the East Midlands, the percentage of people from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups increased from 4.7% to 7.0%, while across England the percentage went from 5.2% to 8.0%.

Around 71.5% of people in Nottingham said they were from one of the White ethnic groups, compared with 84.9% in 2001. About 7.3% said they were from the Black, Black British, Caribbean or African ethnic groups, compared with 4.3% 10 years prior.

The percentage of people who said they were from Mixed/multiple ethnic groups (White and Asian, White and Black African, White and Black Caribbean or Other Mixed) increased from 3.1% to 6.6%.

The population from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups in Nottingham increased by 6 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, East Midlands and Nottingham by ethnicity, March 2001 and March 2011

Changes in family structure

Nottingham saw the East Midlands' third-largest rise in the proportion of households with adult children living with their parents.

In 2011, just over 1 in 13 (7.9%) households in Nottingham had only adult children living with their parents, compared with 7.2% in 2001. The percentage with at least one child remained close to 27.4%.

Across the region, only Oadby and Wigston (from 9.9% to 12.5%) and Leicester (from 8.6% to 10.3%) saw a greater increase in the proportion of households with adult children living with their parents.

During this period, Nottingham fell below Lincoln to become the East Midlands local authority area with the second-lowest percentage of households with only adult children living with their parents.

The proportion of households with only adult children living with their parents was lower than across the East Midlands

Percentage of households where a parent lived with their adult children across local authority areas in the East Midlands and the average across England, March 2011

Religion in Nottingham

The 2011 Census asked a voluntary question about religion. Of those who chose to disclose their religious affiliation, the largest percentage point increase in Nottingham was among those who said they had no religion, rising 10.3 points.

In 2011, 37.9% of respondents in Nottingham gave this religion on the census compared with 27.5% of those who answered in 2001.

Across the East Midlands, the percentage of people who answered the question on religion that described themselves as having no religion increased from 16.8% to 29.2%, while across England the percentage went from 15.7% to 26.5%.

Of those who disclosed their religion in Newham, 47.9% said they were Christian, compared with 63.9% in 2001. About 9.5% said they were Muslim, compared with 5.1% 10 years prior.

The percentage of people who disclosed a religious affiliation and said they were Sikh increased from 1.4% to 1.5%.

In Nottingham, 7.6% chose not to answer the question on religious affiliation, compared with 9.8% in 2001. In East Midlands, 6.8% did not answer the voluntary question, compared with 7.7% in 2001. Across England, 7.2% of people did not answer, compared with 7.7% in 2001.

The population without a religion in Nottingham increased by 10 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents who answered the voluntary question on religion in England, East Midlands and Nottingham by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

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